Spark-gap apparatus.



No. 886,303. 7 PATENTED APR. 28, 1908.

W. W. MASSIE. SPARK GAP APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2. 1907.

' volition Application filed. May 2, 1987. Sari.

. IDA -.i. on .1 more.

To all 10720-112, i1 M17; concern: i

Be it known that I, Vin/run W. Mason: zicitizen oi the United Slategresiding at Providence, in the county oi Providence 2 d Slate of Rhode Island, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spai'l -Gap il iparziiius, oi which the 'l'ollowing is 21- sperii This invention relates to spark gap apparatus, tl1ool jcct oi the invention being to provide eii'ecli c a'ppnralus of this character which is suscepiihle oi" advanlugrcous usc in many connections; for example, {15 a. part of a WiiLlOSS telegraphic system.

The apparatus p-l'issosscs scvcrzzl features L be fully hrought out in oi ulil whi h \i'nl lhe following dr-ar-ripiiou wherein i set forth in detail tho-i lorm oi cnihodiincnt of die. invention which] have s-circlod i'or ililllxlillloll in the accoinpnnyingdrn Wing's forming part of this specification, with a View OiiINilCilililQ; the character oi the invcniiou, The novelty of the liillcr will be inrludcd in the claims Sui-cording said desrripliou.

.llol'crriug to said drawing-'5: i iguro 1 ii perspective View ol' ihe hoX which llUUfiiS certain of the par scclional View o' 0 box :11 one side of (he rods. 3 a transverse seol' ViUN oi the. box and shows a IllOiO! cozisliiuling part oi the zipparalus. Fig. 4 a derail l'ac. VlOW of ii porliou oi the sparh'gap whcol. Fig. 5 is a cros.--:-sc .;i'ion oi the Swill. Fig. l} is View corrcsponding; iih Fig. 5 ol a modilied 'iOiill of wheel.

l like cJrarocicm dcnol 0 corresponding polls lhrouglwut ihv sm (I'isl figures.

in my apparaim lhrro is :i .kpfil'li diuli or whcci iiiouiiiod on ii shaft which is connecied with :i suitahlc moior h a i'icxihlc shail so lliii'i ihc'hox or casing which couiuinn ihc spoil; gap dislc orwhccl and rods ran ho pui on ZLlKiHli 11 it is known in nix-vim: irlc gri :h v whiio lho n oior n he pi'arvd under snid upon a r id coi iluiuuihm cl lhrmolor shal'i', iliis would prosozil an imnivul relation iior and would aim inr rlho ol' nullnu; had "OllllOi'llCiir? with lcnscr c nsliiuiin; purl oi ihc son-ding circuit oi 1i \Yircicss telegraph system. By Yirtue of the count rucl ion to which l havc hriefl alluded as constituting pnri of my inl rliniinnlc the iii-co ivcnieuco in question llIHl provide for propcr coimociions or leads with said condenser. liloreover by Fig. 2 is a lUlrLfliUmlllizll l placing thegap apparatus proper or box or casing; containing the spark gap rods on the bench the sm'no is always in plain vicw' of the operator.

Referring now to the drawings in detail lire numeral 2 designates a box or casing which may be oi any desirable shops and in which locaicd for rotation the shalt 3, one

side of the box 12 and is connected by some crumble i'loxihlc joint with the flexible shaft which in turn 18 likewise oonnred With the t oi the motor 5. ()no'cnd oi the shown supported by the blind sup irlcd near its opposite. end in any desirable way, i or momplo, by the Webbed casting prefer not to rely upon atmospheric pressure of the air lose-cure tho circulation of the same through such as a an S ia si enod suitably to the shaft 3 for rolation therewith,

v A spark gap wheel or disk as 9 of suilLable construction is rotetive with the shaft 3 and spark gap rods as those hereino'ftor do scribed arc coo ooraiivc therewith, and these parts are so rel-lied that the point of dis charge can ho inaiauily and readily adjusted wiihoul. stopping the. shall 3. The rim of tho said 'n'hccl i) is generally nuule oi brass, while. ihe hody {hereof may be of rubber, iiher. or oiher inilair material and may, be i'asli-ncd lo a suiiahlc bushing as 10 pinned or olhrru 'JG- ronncrljcil wiii a'Xl shaft for T0- illilOll. ilicroarilli. 'lhc spar-l; points around the rim or pcrighcry oi the wheel 9 are designaled hy ll and they may hc of anyilesirahic numl or. They orclcrahly have threaded shanks wh h sir rapped into the rim of i w dial; or whee) Tho spark rods, of which thereare two, are dianiciri l opposite cach other, their inner ends. being in proximity to (he periphcry or circunii'crcnce oi Saiid wheel. These rods arc preferably adapted for sirnultanc ous iuljuslmcnl and, in the present case,

or 'Lhimhle while said shaft 3 is 7 closing an opening in the box 2, said casting l haying one or noro slots or ports the inierior of the box 2, 011i, provide positrve means for this purpose,

they are supported by an oscillatory carrier as 12 which may be of fiber, rubber, or other ,12 is supported for oscillatory movement preferably by the shaft 3 and, as both rods are supported by it, it will be evident that,

when one is moved circumferentially of the wheel 9, the other is necessarily similarly moved.

The two end bars of the carrier or frame 12 areequipped with sleeves or collars as 13 through which the spark gap rods are slidable, byvirtue of which they can be longitudinally adjusted; that is, their tips can be moved toward or from the periphery of thespark gap wheel, and set screws as 14 carried by said collars can be provided for holding 20. justed relations, or, in their adjustment radithe spark gap rods in their longitudinal adally of the wheel.

I show a set screw 15 on one of the side bars of the carrier 12 and the shank of which extends through a vertically elongated slot as 16 in the box 2, the head of the screw being located outside said box. By tightening up the screw its head will bind against the outer surface of the box to hold said carrier in an adjusted position, by reason of which. the circumferential adjustment of the spark gap rods can be maintained. By loosening the screw the carrier 12 can be rocked to change the adjustment and, when the new adjustment is effected, it can be retained by settingup the said screw 15.

I prefer not to rely solely upon the circu lation of air through the box 2 for thepurose of keeping the spark gap means cool, but have illustrated and will .now describe a more positive means whereby this result can be accomplished. The s ark gap wheel 9 in the present case is chain Jered as at 17, and this chamber can be produced by the l'ornia tion of an annular channel. around theinside of the rim 9 of said spark gap wheel. There are shown a number of inwardly tapering ports as 18 in said rim 9 leading from the outer surface thereof into said'clunnber 17 and the inlet ends of these ports are in proximity to the fan 8. The spark gap points 11 have passages as 1 9 entirely therethrough which communicate'with said chamber 17 and it is therefore evident that the air from said chamber can flow outwardly through these several assages 19 by means of which the peri heral well as t e spar gap "points, can be kept cool. I arrange upon that side of the rim 9 next to the fan 8 hood-shaped vanes or buckets as 20 which overlie the ports 18. As the wheel 9 rotates these vanes or buckets 20 collect or scoop and compressair therein which passes therefrom into the chamber 17 by way of the ports 18, such air passing from the said chamortion or rim of the wheel, as

her through the passages 17, by virtue of which the several parts subjected 'to such ac tion. are kept in a cool condition. In some cases I might dis )ense with thefan 8, and rely simply on the other construction to maintain the wheel and. rods cool, but prefer that the fan be employed. it is not essential that the spark gap rods 13 be mounted for circumferential adjustment with respect to the spark gap wieel, nor is it essential that the spark gap points 11 be provided. In Fig. 6 l have shown a wheel 9 without the spark gap points. This wheel has in its rim'9, however/the air chamber 17 and on the side of said ri m the hood-shaped vanes or buckets 20. The air for cooling the peripheral portion of the wheel passes outwardly through passages or perforations as 19' in said rim, which passages or perforations comnnmieate with the said chamber 17.

The box or easing 2 may have one or more peep-holes or s ight-openings as 2 by which the interior thereof can be inspected from time to time.

What I claim is:

1 in an apparatus of the class described, a rota ry spark gap wheel havim an air chamber and also having an inlet an outlet Leading from said chamber, and spark gap rods (fOiiPtl'tltlV with said wheel.

'2. In an apparatus of the class described, a rotary spark gap wheel having an air chain her and also having an inlet leading toandmrn outlet leading from said ehainbenandspark gap rods cooperative with said whieel, said spark gap rods being mounted for adjustment eircuinferentially of the wheel.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a rotary spark gap wheel having an air chamber and also having an inlet leading to and an outlet leading from said chamber, and spark gap rods cooperative with said wheel, said spark gap rods being mounted for adjustment circumferentially ol' the wheel and be ing also longitudinally adjustable.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a rotary spark gap wheel having an annular air circulating chamber, lateral inlets for the admission of air into sai'dchamber, and outleading to and lets leading from the chamber to the periphcry of the wheel, and spark gap rods coopera tive with said wheel.

5 In an apparatus of the class described, a casing, a park gap wheel rotatively mounted 1n the casing, the latter having an opening for the entrance of air thereto and the disspark gap rods cooperative with the wheel,

and a carrier for the spark gap rods, in said angular adjustment.

casing, loosely supported by said shaft for 7. Inan apparatus of the class described, a casing, a spark gap wheel rotatively mounted in said casing, spark gap rods cooperative with the wheel, the casing having openings through which said rods extend, and a can rier for the rods, in said casing, said carrier being movably mounted to provide for the adjustment of the rods circumferentially of the wheel.

S. In an apparatus of the class described, a spark gap wheel having an air chamber, a port extending from the exterior of the wheel into said chamber, a passage leading from the chamber to the exterior of the wheel, and a vane on the Wheel overlying the port.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a casing, a rotary spark gap wheel in said casing havin a chamber, and means independent of and rotative with the wheel for drawing air into the casing and said wheel having an air circulating chamber and also having an inlet for the entrance of air into said chamber.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, a casing, a rotary spark gap wheel in said casing having a chamber, and means rotative with the wheel for drawing air into the casing for circulation therethrough, said wheel being provided with peripheral points having passages through the same and communicating with said chamber.

11. A spark gap wheel having a chamber, a passage leading from the chamber to the inl terior of the wheel, a port leading from the exterior of the wheel to said chamber, and a vane overlying the entering end of said port.

12. A spark gap wheel having air collect ing and compressing means, an air circulating chamber for receiving the air thus collected and compressed, and a passage leading from said .chamber to the exterior of the wheel.

13. A rotary spark gap wheel, a shaft to support the said wheel, rods cooperative with the wheel, and a carrier for the rods sup ported for oscillation by the shaft to provide for the adjustment of the rods circumferentially of the Wheel, said rods being adjustably supported by the carrier for movement toward and from the periphery of the wheel. Y 4

14. The combination of a spark gap wheel, a rotary shaft to which said wheel is fastened, a box supporting the shaft and inclosing the wheel, rods cooperative with said wheel, a carrier for the rods supported for oscillation by said shaft, and a'fan in the box connected with said shaft for rotation therewith, the box having openings for the circulation of air therethrough. r

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER W. MASSIE. \Vitnesses:

L, E. HrNoKLEY, FRANKLIN D. FORD. 

